Tamil business man shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 03:25 GMT]Unidentified gun men shot and killed the owner of a popular flower garden and nursery business, located in Kalviyangkaadu within Jaffna Municipal council area, Friday night outside his home, sources in Jaffna said.

The victim is identified as Sinnathurai Pathmagunaseelan, 47, the owner of a flower garden named Poonganichchoalai, a popular local tourist spot located in the vicinity of Nalloor and Kalviyangaadu.

The victim was shot dead at about 7:00 p.m. when he had closed his nursery gardens and reached his near by residence, police said.

Koaappay police recovered the body of the victim and transported it to the mortuary of Jaffna Teaching hospital.

Incidents of extortion from businessmen, building contractors and traders in Jaffma peninsula have been escalating in the recent months, and speculation is rife that Pathmagunaseelan was under threat to pay ransom.

Recently the owner of communication centre located in Kaladddy, Thinnaveali was killed in a similar manner for failing to pay the ransom demanded by his attackers, sources added.

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) backed paramilitary groups calling them Karuna group or Pillayan group have been terrorizing business owners in the North in the night recently, a spokesman for the consortium of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) told TamilNet.